Tag Archives: Bali conference

The United States during the past 100 years has been a leader in world affairs, but it took the tiny nation of Papua to finally let George Bush know, in no uncertain terms, the world was sick and tired of his obstruction in the fight to end global warming. Kevin Conrad, a delegate from Papua told the United States of America, “If you’re not going to lead, get out of the way.” American delegates spent two weeks of constant obstruction to prevent the nations on planet Earth from accomplishing the goal of reducing global warming. In the end, under incredible pressure from virtually every nation in the world, the Bush administration finally caved in and said it would go along with goals of reducing global pollution in half by 2050. This was a considerable shift from last summer’s Summit 8 meeting where Bush would only promise to “seriously consider” such a goal.

However, in the end, the United States remained conspicuously on the sidelines when it came to establishing goals for 2020. All nations, except the United States, agreed to aim toward a 25%-40% reduction in global pollution by 2020. Bush continues his mantra that American business and our economy will be seriously damaged if America works toward such goals. Perhaps, he can explain why other industrial nations are able to work toward the 2020 goals. In the end, all nations at Bali, except for Burma, signed the agreement. The United States and Burma remained holdouts, Burma on the goal of establishing a roadmap that in two years will replace the Kyoto agreement, and the United States on refusing to agree to 2020 goals.

The behavior of the United States at Bali stands in sharp contrast with American behavior in creating the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan. Our nation once led the world, today, we receive lectures from Papua on how to be an ethical society.

Former Vice President Al Gore expressed a powerful message to Americans and the world in a speech by blasting President Bush for procrastination and obstruction in the fight to end global warming. “I am not an official of the United States and I am not bound by the diplomatic niceties. So, I am going to speak an inconvenient truth. My own country, the United States, is principally responsible for obstructing progress here in Bali. We all know that. Bu, my country is not the only one that can take such steps to ensure that we move forward from Bali with progress and with hope.”

Gore’s message was to place the future of this planet before all other considerations and to ensure that children in the coming years are able to enjoy life in a world that has confronted its most important issue– how to maintain a viable living situation without endangering the safety of this precious planet. Gored said it correctly, “We ought to feel a sense of joy that we have work that is worth doing that is so important to the future of all humankind. we ought to feel a sense of exhilaration that we are the people alive at a moment in history when we can make all the difference.”

Nobel laureate, Al Gore, accused the United States of blocking progress at the UN climate conference. He urged delegates to take strong measures to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases which are a major source of greenhouse gases. He bluntly told the audience, “My own country, the United States, is principally responsible for obstructing progress here in Bali.” Kristen Hellmer, a member of the american delegation responded with “the U.S. is being open and working very constructively with other countries that are here. We are rolling our sleeves up and really working to come up with a global post-2012 framework.” The United States, Japan and several other nations are refusing to accept the language in a draft document that seeks a 25%-40% reduction in emissions by 2020. European nations are threatening to boycott a Bush climate meeting next month in Washington unless the United States compromises on its negative stand for compulsory and specific goals for reduction of emissions.

Al Gore said the right thing by urging nations to reach an agreement with or without the approval of the Bush government. He assured delegates that “over the next two years, the United States is going to be somewhere it is not now” in an apparent reference to his hope a new Democratic president would be more receptive to action on global warming. The United States is the world’s leading emitter of greenhouse gases and the world is growing weary of Bush obstruction of the movement towards controlling global warming. Undoubtedly, Rush Limbaugh and other right wing commentators will blast Al Gore for “insulting America” and taking the side of “foreigners.” There are no foreigners when it comes to global warming, we are all inhabitants of the same planet and what is done by one nation impacts all. This is something the ignorant people in the Bush administration fail to grasp even as they censor scientific reports which contradict official policies that all is well in the world. Al Gore spoke not merely as an American patriot, but as a human patriot.

Senator John Kerry told delegates at the Bali conference on climate change that he wants America to do much more toward having the world gain control of deadly carbon emissions. “The United States,” he said, “is going to be at the table, the United States is going to lead, and the United States is going to embrace significant change in order to lead with climate change.” Kerry, who c0-chairs a U>S. Senate committee on climate change argues the United States must seek a goal of at least 60%-70% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050. The Bali conference is seeking much swifter implementation of climate change by insisting that developed nations must reduce carbon emissions by 30% within the coming fifteen years.

Ralph Nader insisted in the elections of 2000 and 2004 there was no real difference between Republicans and Democrats. Senator Kerry’s commitment to climate change is obviously vastly different from the Bush position. President Bush, like so many conservatives, insists that controlling carbon emissions will “damage our economy.” European nations already are doing much more than the United States in using renewable sources such as wind and sea power without any significant impact on their economies. Of course, as humans we may have to accept some slight reductions in wealth in order to save this planet. Which comes first– human survival or being able to purchase an SUV?

Canada was severely criticized by many nations for its refusal to take immediate action regarding global warming. They attacked the refusal of the Canadian government to reject any future climate treaty unless it sets emission targets for all major polluters. The Canadian position is that any successor treaty to the Kyoto Protocol must set binding conditions on countries like the United States, China, and India, nations which rank among the world’s most dangerous polluters. Yvo de Boer, the UN climate chief, wondered how a rich nation like Canada could abandon its own targets under Kyoto, then demand that developing countries like China and India should adopt binding obligations.

To make matters worse for the Canadian delegation, Quebec’s Line Beauchamp and Ontario’s John Gerretsen made it clear the Ottawa government does not speak for their provinces. As Gerretsen, noted, “If the U.S. is not willing to sign on, does that mean nobody should sign on?” Canada’s leaders give talks saying their nation supports efforts at reducing global warming, but when it comes to walking the walk it prefers to talk the talk. Unfortunately, Canada is able to use failures on the part of the Bush administration as a convenient excuse for their own failures in dealing with pollution. Future generations of Canadians who must live with results of present decisions really won’t give a darn why their nation refused to act.

Butterflies have gone extinct in the Alps. Giant squid are migrating north to commercial fishing grounds off California. Flying foxes are dying in Australia. As humans debate global warming at the Bali Conference, its impact on animals and plants has enormous consequences for their survival. Stephen Williams of James Cook University in Australia, noted “I don’t think there is any doubt we will see a lot of (extinctions)….Most of the species here in the west tropic would be reduced to..15% of their current habitat.” It is estimated if temperatures rise by 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit, about 30% of the earth’s species could disappear. The hardest hit according to those attending the Bali conference would be plants and animals in colder climates or at higher elevations as well as those with limited ranges or little tolerance for temperature change. There is scant doubt in the end, virtually all species will be impacted in one way or another.

Australia is currently experiencing a severe drought that has devastated crops and animals all over the nation. It is estimated continued rise in temperature would wipe out about half of species in the nation. Meanwhile, Mediterranean jellyfish are turning up in Scotland and butterflies are moving to new areas of the world. In a sense, we humans are playing God with life on planet Earth. The question is whether or not we are a beneficial or destructive God.

At the opening of the Bali Conference dealing with greenhouse emissions and global warming, Paul Dobriasnky of the US State Department assured attendees that a goal of America is, “we’d like to see consensus on the launch of negotiations.” Unknown to people at the conference, Bush was operating behind the scenes to destroy any hope of obtaining a meaningful agreement on global warming. Der Spiegel, reports the United States has been secretly working with India and China to sabotage the goal of strong controls over greenhouse emissions. According to their source, “Washington is hoping that the two greenhouse gas emitters will openly declare during the conference they are unwilling to accept any binding limits on emissions of greenhouse gases.” Bush wants to make certain the United States doesn’t come across as the one halting world efforts to halt global warming. One Washington insider said: “Bush’s people don’t want to make any real progress in the next two weeks. But, they don’t want to be severely criticized internationally again.”

Bush’s behavior at Bali certainly is consistent with his behavior on most major issues — be duplicitous. He is intellectually and emotionally unable to work with others in sincere ways to deal with global issues because the president is convinced he, and his close associates, are the only ones who understand the real issues at stake.